Four Brothers: Past, Present, and Future
by Wastin Mytime
Summary: The Mercer boys are back. A sequel to Four Brothers.
1. Secrets

Author's Note:

Hello and welcome to Four Brothers: Past, Present, and Future. I apologize for having such a lame title, but it was all I could come up with. So much for creative genius. Anyway, I just wanted to offer a few tips before you read my story.

1) If you have not seen the movie Four Brothers, you will probably have a hard time understanding what is going on. This story is somewhat of a sequel, and I will not be going into great detail about things the movie already explained. On that note, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me with your e-mail address (or leave feedback). I can be a bit vague sometimes and usually don't realize it unless someone brings it to my attention.

2) I do not keep a schedule. You cannot expect to see a new chapter posted every day or even every week. I'm quite busy and sometimes I need inspiration to strike before I'm able to write (which doesn't always happen when I'd like it to). If you don't understand, check out some of the feedback from my Pirates of the Caribbean story (The White Cole). Probably about half of the comments are people demanding a new chapter because they'd been waiting for months. I will warn you right now that I've been writing that story for almost two years, and it's not quite finished. I just don't want anyone to be upset because the story never ends. That said, I will try my best to submit chapters in a timely fashion.

3) Please leave feedback! I thrive off of it, and I would really appreciate honest responses and constructive criticism. The entire point of this experience is to learn to be a better writer, so PLEASE let me know if you notice any errors.

4) If you want me to respond to you, please leave your e-mail address.

5) This is the last you'll hear from me on the actual pages of the story, I promise. ENJOY!

Wastin Mytime

Chapter 1 – Secrets

**_15 years ago (November 1990)…_**

Tears of anger coursed down Grace's frozen cheeks as she walked faster with her head down and book pressed tightly to her chest. Her boots made shallow imprints in the snow as the wind howled past her uncovered ears. She shivered and squeezed the book tighter as if it might offer her some warmth.

As furiously distracted as she was, Grace did not realize she was lost. Nor did she realize she was being followed. She continued walking nearly as fast as her eight-year-old legs would carry her as if the devil himself were on her heels. As it were, he was.

Above the wind, Grace heard the snap of a branch. Her eyes widened in fear, but she did not turn to see who pursued her. She had wandered too far off the beaten path for her shadow to be a friendly one. She was sure that she was either being tracked by a Bad Person or an unfriendly animal.

Grace broke into a run, not sure what she was going to do or where she was going to go. Pretending to stumble, Grace picked up a branch laden with ice and whirled to face her attacker. She found herself face to face with a leering teenage boy in a jean jacket.

"Hey there, little girl," he said. "Are you lost?" He contorted his face into something she supposed she was to take as a frown.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"You," he replied, the wicked grin back in place.

For some odd reason, Grace felt very calm all of a sudden and she was no longer afraid as he began to approach her. Once he was close enough, she smacked him as hard as she could across the face. The frozen branch cracked in half, and the boy screamed.

"YOU BITCH!" His hands reached blindly for her throat and she easily dodged out of the way. Tossing her book to the side, Grace began to run. The boy chased after her, stumbling and bumping into things as he came. He continued to curse and yell at the top of his lungs.

Breathing hard, Grace dodged stumps and low hanging branches. She was getting very tired and her lungs burned with the cold. She was ready to collapse when she saw movement in the trees ahead. She stopped dead in her tracks worried that the boy had friends waiting to attack her. Grace glanced up and realized she had only one choice. Without hesitation, she shimmied up the nearest tree, hoping against hope that no one had seen her.

"Who the fuck are you?" she heard the teenager ask as she watched him look in the direction where Grace had seen the movement.

"Who the fuck are you?" a new voice asked. Grace watched as another teenage boy with greased hair and a leather coat emerged from behind a tree.

"I asked you first. You got a problem, little man?"

"No, no problem. As long as you get the fuck out of here and stop chasing little girls," the new boy said.

Grace gasped when she realized this new boy was trying to protect her. Or was it that he just wanted her for himself?

"What the fuck is it to you, bro?"

"I'm not your 'bro'."

Grace watched as the boy in the leather jacket approached the first boy. "Get the fuck out of here," he said coldly.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" her attacker asked as he backhanded her rescuer across the face.

"Bobby Mercer," the greased kid grunted as he shoved the kid backwards.

"Well, fuck you, Mercer," the boy said and started to charge Bobby.

"I got my little brother to do that if I need it, thanks though," Bobby said, lashing out at the guy's cheek with his fist. Grace wasn't sure why, but she laughed quietly at that comment.

The kid shook himself and punched Bobby in the stomach. "Oof," Bobby groaned as he fell to his knees. Grace watched horrified as the kid kicked him in the balls. Bobby fell over onto his side with a moan.

"Not so tough now, huh little man?" the jean jacket boy asked, leaning down close to Bobby's face.

Bobby spat at him and jabbed his elbow into the other kid's already wounded face. The boy howled and Bobby stood to kick him the ribs. When the boy saw that Bobby was coming after him again, he rose to his knees and crawled away as fast as he could.

Bobby watched him go, clutching his aching testicles and wiping the blood from his cut lip. The fucker had been wearing a ring on the hand he'd punched Bobby with. Once the boy was gone from his sight, Bobby called up into the tree," You can come down now."

Grace knew it was okay. She could feel pain in her face and her stomach and her crotch, and she knew that Bobby was a Good Person. She slid down the tree and landed in a heap. Bobby took her hand and hoisted her up into a standing position. He was a very good looking boy, and Grace was sure she was going to fall in love with her rescuer. She looked up at him with eyes wide as saucers.

"Did he hurt you, kid?" he asked, still clutching her small hand.

Grace shook her head. In truth the boy _had_ hurt her but not directly.

"Did he touch you anywhere?"

She shook her head again.

"What were you doing out here by yourself?"

"Escaping," she answered quietly, watching his reaction.

"Me too," he answered, looking toward the direction he'd come from.

"From your parents?" she asked.

"No," he answered with a grin. "I already did that. What's your name?"

"Grace."

"I'm Bobby. Can you keep a secret Gracie?"

She tilted her head to the side and stared at him as if trying to decide whether or not to trust the boy enough to hear his secret. Once she was satisfied with what she saw, she nodded.

"Okay, follow me. I want to show you what I was doing out here," he turned and pulled her along beside him. "No one else knows about this."

Bobby led her to a clearing in the woods. On one side there was a huge snow hill that was speckled with small dark marks. Grace's brow furrowed as she tried to understand what Bobby was going to show her. He stopped walking and turned to look her directly in the eyes.

"I want you to stand right here. Don't move no matter what happens. You have to cover your ears very tightly with your hands, and don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you," he promised.

"I know," she whispered. Bobby just looked at her with something akin to awe as she slowly raised her hands to her ears and pressed as hard as she could. The kid could not have been more than nine years old, but she seemed aged way beyond her years. "I'm ready."

"Okay. Remember – don't move." Bobby walked closer to the hill and pushed what looked like a beer can into the snow. He backed up several yards but was still a safe distance from Grace. He reached into the waist of his jeans and pulled out a gun. Grace frowned as Bobby raised the gun and took careful aim at the can. Finally, he squeezed off a shot and the gun sparked and kicked back in his hand. The can exploded and Bobby let out a hoot of pride.

"What are you practicing for?" Grace asked, lowering her hands.

"Life," Bobby replied with a youthful enthusiasm. "I've had a gun since I was younger than you Gracie. Problem is, I never was much good at shooting it. The reason I'm showing you this is cuz I'm gonna teach you how to shoot. You need to know how to protect yourself. Detroit is a dangerous place."

"Why doesn't anyone else know about this?"

"Cuz my mom would kill me if she knew and my brothers wouldn't understand. Not yet anyway," he answered tucking the gun back into his pants and walking toward her.

"I thought you escaped from your parents."

"I did. It's a long story Gracie," he mumbled.

She looked at his hand and said, "I have a secret too, Bobby."

"You do?"

"I'm going to show you. Don't be scared," she said.

For a fleeting moment, Bobby was scared. It was completely against his character, but there was such sadness in the little girl's voice that he was somewhat afraid to see what she was going to show him.

"I'm going to touch you," she said.

"Okay," Bobby answered. The fear was gone and a sudden calmness took its place as she touched his face. She skimmed her thumb over his cut lip and Bobby's eyes slipped shut. Her hands moved down his body, sliding over his neck, shoulders, and chest. She stopped at his stomach and pressed lightly. Bobby did not feel anything except intense relaxation and a small amount of heat from her hands. He didn't even notice when her hands passed lightly over his crotch.

Then Grace broke contact and turned away. Bobby opened his eyes. He looked at Grace's back drowsily for a second and then said, "What happened?" as he touched his lip. The swelling was gone. He pressed a hand to his stomach. No pain. His balls felt fine too.

"I healed you," Grace answered, turning to him with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Gracie, don't cry," he said softly, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "How long have you been doing that?" Bobby was completely stupefied by what he'd just experienced. Perhaps he was in shock.

"A long time," she answered, a bit surprised by the question. "My twin sister Gloria is very sick. She has been for most of our lives. I've been trying to heal her for years."

"Is that why you were escaping?" Bobby asked.

Grace nodded. "I can't heal her. I can only make her feel better for a short time, but then she gets sick again. My parents hate me for it."

"C'mon, let's get out of the cold. I know a great place to go for kids whose parents hate them," Bobby said, taking Grace's hand.

"Where's that?"

"The Mercer house."


	2. Deaths

**Chapter 2 – Deaths**

_1 year ago (November 2004)…_

At the funeral, Bobby stood between his brothers Jack and Jeremiah. He stared at the coffin that held his mother's body, but oddly enough his thoughts were elsewhere. He'd been thinking about Grace the whole day and he couldn't possibly fathom why. Grace had been gone now for five years.

Still, he thought about the first day he met her, the day he took her home to meet his mother and brothers. He remembered how she sat on the couch with her back as straight as a pin while he introduced his brothers to her. Bobby was sure that Grace had been surprised to see that two of his brothers' ebony skin contrasted sharply with his own pallid white flesh, but she hid it very well.

Grace had centered most of her attention on Jack. At that point, seven-year-old Jack was a new addition to the Mercer house and he had far from comfortably settled in to his new home. Bobby didn't know exactly what had happened to his youngest brother before then, but he did know that it was enough to make Jack avoid talking to and touching anyone other than Bobby for the first several months in the Mercer house.

13-year-old Jeremiah was very polite to Bobby's guest, as usual. He was always the best-behaved of the four brothers. Grace passed 11-year-old player Angel's test. He considered her to be extremely good looking for an eight-year-old.

15-year-old Bobby watched Grace as his mother brought in a plate of cookies with five glasses for milk. She stared at Evelyn for a moment as if she knew her from somewhere, but then she looked away. "Relax, dear," Evelyn said, noting Grace's rigid posture. Startled, Grace looked at Evelyn with tears in her eyes.

"I can't," she whispered.

The boys stared at her like she was crazy. Then they looked at each other, and understanding coursed through Bobby. Her parents were _those_ kind of parents. They probably weren't the kind who physically abused her. Her parents were the kind to hurt with harsh words and lack of love. They probably hadn't said a kind word to Grace in a very long time from the look on her face.

About that time Jerry and Angel started one of their infamous tussles and landed in a heap on the floor. Bobby smiled as he watched his brothers, a cookie in his hand. Grace looked alarmed to see the boys wrestling on the ground, but Evelyn patted her on the knee and said, "It's alright Grace. They're not hurting each other. Would you like a cookie?"

Bobby knew that that was the moment when Grace fell in love with Evelyn Mercer. He knew because he had seen it happen time and time again, and this time it made him happier than ever. For a reason he couldn't quite explain, it was very important to him that Grace and his mother were friends because Bobby planned on having Grace at the house often. She would be an unofficial Mercer, he decided.

Grace accepted the cookie with a shy smile and offered half of it to wild haired Jack. To Bobby's surprise, Jack accepted and munched quietly on the cookie.

Shaking himself back to his mother's funeral, Bobby glanced at 21-year-old Jack and followed his brother's stare to a hill in the distance. There was nothing there, but Bobby got the distinct feeling that Jack had seen something. Something important.

_Later that night…_

Jack sat red-eyed on his bed, strumming quietly at his guitar when Bobby came in. It seemed like everything Jack did was quiet.

"You crying again, fairy?" Bobby asked, sitting on the floor beside Jack's bed trying to hide his own tears.

"Leave it alone, man," Jack said in his deep voice. Bobby was always amazed at how Jack had grown up to be the tallest of the four of them. Bobby, as it were, was the shortest. Jack sniffled and set his guitar aside to roll a fresh cigarette.

"I saw Grace at the funeral," Jack said after a moment's pause. He lit his cigarette as Bobby stared at him.

"What?"

"She was there. I knew she would be."

"Jack, Gracie's dead," Bobby reminded his brother.

"You know that's a fucking lie," Jack said angrily, his eyes filling with tears.

Bobby sighed. "I know it's a fucking lie," he confessed. "Why wouldn't she come see us?"

"Something chased her away from here once Bobby. She's not ready to face it yet. She'll come back to us though. I know she will," Jack assured him taking a long drag of his cigarette. He exhaled up to the ceiling. "I miss her, Bobby."

"Me too," Bobby agreed. "But I miss Ma too, and we can do something about that, Jack."

"I know. We've got some hunting to do."

_Several days later…_

After days of tracking down their mother's killer and unraveling the twisted web of mystery surrounding her death, Bobby was facing the worst enemy he could possibly imagine – his own brother.

Jack and Angel sat on the couch as Bobby paced the floor in the upstairs landing. The door opened and both Angel and Jack glanced over as Jerry walked through the door.

"What?" he asked at their solemn looks as he removed his coat and hat.

They didn't answer. "Where's Bobby?" Jerry asked as he entered the room.

"Right here, Jerry," Bobby answered, appearing out of nowhere with a fist aimed at Jerry's face.

Jack winced as he watched his brothers fight. Angel joined them on the floor. There was a lot of yelling and cursing and punching. There was a knock at the door, and Jack jumped up, relieved at the distraction. He opened the door and a masked man flicked him off as he walked away saying, "Your mother was a whore."

"Motherfucker," Jack growled, leaning down to scoop up a handful of snow. "Come back here, you shit!" he yelled as he chased after the guy.

Too late did he see the guy was packing. As the masked dude raised his weapon, Jack leaped towards the nearest light pole, hoping for some cover. There was a loud pop and Jack felt pain spread through his shoulder. He landed hard, still a yard or so away from the pole. He staggered into a standing position and fresh pain seared his chest. He went down again.

"JACK!" he heard Bobby yell through his haze of pain and was vaguely aware that there was an entire posse of men opening fire upon the Mercer house.

"Bobby," Jack said as he managed to drag himself to the light pole, but he knew his brother wouldn't hear him. He hoped Bobby had enough sense to duck back into the house. Jack knew that he was going to die. He just hoped his brothers were safe. That's all he wanted.

Before he lost consciousness, Jack felt a warm hand press against his chest. The pain was not so bad now. He expected to open his eyes and see his mother's face hovering above him. It was someone else entirely.

"Grace?" he asked, trying to reach a hand up to touch her tear-stained face.

"Jackie, don't you dare die on me," she pleaded. Jack couldn't answer her. He felt blood fill his mouth and his entire strength trickle out of his body. Jack's eyes closed as he felt the heat of Grace's hand disappear. So this was death.


	3. Surprises

Chapter 3 – Surprises

_Present Day (November 2005)…_

Bobby cursed loudly and threw his hammer down in frustration. "I'm leaving," he barked, nursing his wounded thumb.

"Man, what the hell is wrong with you today?" Angel asked looking up from the wood he was sanding. "That's like the fifth time you hurt yourself."

"I dunno, but I'm taking it as a sign that it's time for me to go home and start dinner," Bobby answered, putting on his coat.

"Hey, it's Jerry's week to cook," Angel protested hopefully.

"No, it's not," Bobby argued, tapping the calendar with his finger.

"Damn," Angel muttered and went back to his work. Bobby couldn't cook for shit.

Bobby grinned triumphantly. "Tell Jerry I'm out and that I'll see you ladies at Café Bobby. 7:00 sharp. Don't be late."

As soon as Bobby turned to leave, Angel threw him the bird. Shaking his head at his cocky brother, Angel grinned and turned the sander back on.

Once Bobby stepped outside into the icy blast of a Detroit November, he turned around to look at the building he'd just exited. It may not have looked like much at that moment in time, but Bobby could see its potential. The marquee would eventually read, 'EVELYN'S ESCAPE: a safe haven' and that's exactly what it would be.

The Evelyn's Escape Project had been put on hold for several months in order for the boys to put their house back together after last year's attack. Now they were able to concentrate all of their time on the project, and luckily they were well-funded, but the brothers definitely had their work cut out for them.

Bobby started down the sidewalk towards the market. He had to go pick up some things for dinner. As he entered the store, the bell tinkled, and he smiled. He always thought of his mother when he heard that sound. After Evelyn's died, Bobby hadn't ever wanted to step foot in the store again. Only when he and his brothers had gone there to watch the surveillance video of her death did Bobby realize that much of her essence remained in the store. He supposed it had something to do with it being the place where she'd lived out her last moments.

It took Bobby over a half hour to make all of his selections and pay. Once he'd checked out, Bobby left the store and headed to the discount liquor store for some beer and a bottle of whiskey.

When Bobby finally reached the house over an hour after he'd left work, he noticed a strange car parked across the street. Having become a bit paranoid since the house was assaulted last year; Bobby went to check it out. It was one of those funky Toyotas that supposedly got like 50 miles to the gallon, and it was stuffed with someone's belongings. Deciding it was probably not a threat; Bobby jogged up the steps to the house and unlocked the door.

He hoisted the grocery bags onto the counter and put the beer in the fridge. He threw his jacket on the hall tree and kicked off his shoes, before plodding up the stairs to his bedroom. He could hear the shower going as he walked down the hall and wondered what his brother was doing home so early. Dinner was not for another hour and a half. Irritated, he stalked to his room and stripped, then tossed his clothes into the laundry basket on his way to the bathroom.

"Hurry the fuck up," Bobby growled at the shower curtain as he strode to the toilet and proceeded to pee.

"Jesus," came a feminine gasp followed by the jangle of the shower curtain being yanked open. "You scared the shit outta me."

Bobby stared at the woman for a moment and stopped pissing midstream. "Holy fuck," he muttered. Bobby clamored into the tub and whisked her off her feet. He crushed her naked body to his own and spattered kisses all over her face. "I love you," he murmured. "I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone. I love you, I love you, I love you, I lov-."

Grace interrupted by kissing him full on the mouth as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He returned her kiss with enthusiasm as his hands slid down her back to cup her rump.

When Grace finally broke the kiss to breathe, Bobby's cock was stiff against her belly. "Damn, you filled out," he commented as he glanced down at her breasts.

"So did you," she answered slyly as she gave her hips a thrust indicating that she was well aware of his arousal.

Bobby just grunted something in reply as he gently placed Grace back onto her feet. "Were you on shampoo or conditioner?"

"I was just enjoying my final rinse."

"Good, then you can wash my hair," Bobby suggested. Grace just looked at him for a moment. She watched the water cascade down his well-developed chest and incredibly rippled abs. Her eyes lowered to his thick erection which jutted invitingly towards her. "While you talk," Bobby added.

"About what?" Grace asked, her eyes snapping up to his face as she swallowed guiltily.

"Where you've been for the last six years because your parents told everyone you were dead," Bobby answered passing her the bottle of shampoo.

"I know," Grace said with a sigh as she squeezed a blob of shampoo onto her palm. "That's what they told me they would do if I left."

"Why did you leave?" Bobby asked as Grace began to lather his hair.

"So I could start over. You must realize it had nothing to do with you or your family, Bobby."

"It's your family too, and you're sure it had nothing to do with Jack walking in on us?"

"Of course not!" Grace snapped, tugging hard at his hair.

"Ouch," Bobby protested.

"I'm sorry that he saw us, but that's not why I left. I left because once Gloria died; my parents made my life a living hell. They had no use for me, and they took every opportunity to tell me so. You know that, Bobby."

"I didn't know you were going to leave. Wash my back, will ya?" he requested, handing her the Mercer boys communal soap. Grace stared at it a minute thinking about the other men it had touched. "Grace?"

"Yeah," she said beginning to soap his back. "I left because it was time. I had been debating over whether or not to leave since my sister's death. The only thing that would have kept me here was the Mercer family, but unfortunately the bad outweighed the good."

"Where did you go?" Bobby asked, jumping when Grace slid the soap over his ass.

"Florida," Grace answered with a grin.

"You hitched all the way to Florida?"

"Yep. Miami."

"Jesus Christ, Gracie. What is the matter with you?"

"What?" Grace's hands faltered at his question.

"You were fucking seventeen."

"So? I knew how to protect myself. You taught me, remember?" Grace said irritably then began scrubbing his back again.

"It was still dangerous. You should have come and lived with us."

"My parents would not have allowed it. They hated me, but they would not stand for me leaving them. That's why they told everyone I killed myself."

"That's fucking terrible," Bobby sighed.

"Don't I know it."

"What made you come back?"

Grace didn't answer at first. Instead she yanked Bobby around so he was facing her and slapped him hard across his cheek.


	4. Tears

Chapter 4 – Tears

Bobby glared at her but didn't say a word. Gracie's eyes were full of tears, and she looked so pissed that he had a feeling he'd deserved the smack.

"I saw the movie," she said quietly, the tears rolling down her face now. "Why did you let them make that shit?"

"Oh, that," Bobby said sheepishly. "We needed money. Did you like it?"

"No, I didn't fucking like it. I watched Jack _die_!" she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "I ran out on my boyfriend, packed a few things, and drove straight here from _Florida_."

"Gracie," Bobby murmured soothingly, pulling her hands down and embracing her. "You have a boyfriend?"

Grace jerked away and punched him in the arm. "That's all you have to say to me?" She turned the shower off and scrambled out of the tub, yanking a towel off the rack. It had been the only towel on the rack.

"Grace, wait," Bobby protested, trying to shake the water off of himself as best as he could before following her naked and dripping into his room. "I'm sorry," he said, watching her yank his dresser drawers open and rummage around inside them for something to wear. "Besides, it was a _movie_ and you knew Jack didn't die in real life."

Grace let her towel drop to the ground and pulled on a pair of Bobby's flannel pajama pants. "I didn't know that," she argued avoiding eye contact with him.

"Where did these come from then?" Bobby asked, brushing his fingertips over the puckered skin on her shoulder and left breast.

"They're just old scars," she replied as she slapped his hand away and walked out of the room. Bobby picked up her discarded towel and followed her into Jack's room as he dried his hair. "I have lots of scars Bobby."

"Those are some scars," he noted as Grace began rifling through Jack's hanging clothes. "They look a hell of a lot like the ones Jack got from being shot last year." Bobby commented as he tucked the towel around his waist.

Grace stopped moving then slowly closed her eyes and pressed her hands together as though she were praying for the images to go away. "There was so much blood by the time I got there. I pressed my hands to him as hard as I could, but it wasn't for very long. I ran away as soon as I heard the sirens coming. It didn't seem like enough, Bobby. I figured I'd left him for dead."

"Gracie, you saved my baby brother's life," Bobby said as he approached her and kissed the scars. "And for that I will be eternally grateful."

"I can't save lives Bobby. You know that." Grace turned back to Jack's closet.

"You did," Bobby insisted, but decided not to argue any further. "How did you know he was shot, anyway? I mean, unless you were like hanging around outside the house…"

Grace plucked a black sweatshirt bedecked with skull and crossbones off the hanger and threw it on before she sat down heavily on Jack's bed. Bobby sat down beside her.

"I went to the store to see exactly where Evelyn was…killed, and then I felt the worst pain in my chest," Grace began. "I thought I was having a heart attack, but I realized it was pseudo-pain – you know the pains I would get when someone near me was hurt. I've never felt it that strong before though. Plus, I've learned how to block it out over the years. The only thing I could figure is that one of you was in trouble. I ran here like I'd never run before."

"Jack saw you at Ma's funeral," Bobby commented. Grace's eyes widened with surprise. "How did you know she died?"

"Green called me."

"Green? You stayed in contact with him?" Bobby asked with surprise.

"A year or so after I left, I called Detroit PD to give an anonymous tip on the disappearance of Grace Chambers. I was transferred to the officer in charge of the case, and oddly enough it was Green. I wasn't going to tell him it was me. I had called in order to put a halt to the investigation by saying I had witnessed her suicide or something, but I broke down. I told him it was me when I realized he was my only link to the Mercers."

"I always wondered what had made him stop looking for you. I figured he just realized like the rest of us that you wouldn't be found unless you wanted to be."

"After that he would call every once in awhile to give me a report. I haven't heard from him since Evelyn's funeral. I called the PD one day and they told me he wasn't working there anymore. Do you know what happened to him?"

"He's dead," Bobby answered calmly. "He pegged his partner as a mole last year and the fucker killed him."

Grace nodded as though she wasn't surprised to hear that. "I imagine you took care of the partner."

"He kind of took care of himself," Bobby grinned wryly. "The credit for that one goes to Angel."

"Good. I liked Green. He was an honest man in a city of dishonest men."

"Yeah," Bobby said sadly. He rose from the bed and strode towards the door. I gotta go get dinner started."

"You're cooking? Damn, I was hoping for a good meal," Grace teased, trying to lighten the mood as she got up to look through Jack's dresser for a pair of warm socks. Bobby made a face but didn't say a word as he retreated back to his room to get dressed.

Bobby, clad in jeans and a thermal shirt, was putting a pot of water on the stove when Grace entered the kitchen a few moments later. He glanced up at her and noticed that she'd brushed her waist-length golden-brown hair and it was beginning to curl as it dried. "Are you warm enough?" he asked, reaching into the fridge.

"For the moment," she answered as Bobby tossed her a beer. "What are we having?"

"Spaghetti," Bobby answered pulling a jar of sauce from the fridge.

"Yummy," Grace commented as she took a seat at the table and drew her knees up under the sweatshirt. "Can I do anything?"

"You can sit there and keep all comments about my cooking to yourself."

"Fine," she agreed and opened her beer to take a swig. "So what's going on with Angel? It doesn't look like he's living here anymore."

"He moved in with a crazy Latin bitch," Bobby replied with disgust.

"Sofi?" Grace said with a laugh.

"Yes," Bobby griped.

"You just don't like her because she doesn't take any shit from you," Grace commented.

"I just don't like her because she's fucking insane," Bobby argued as he dumped the sauce into a pan.

"Green told me Jerry got married and had kids. That doesn't surprise me somehow. He was always the most straight-laced out of the four of you." Grace took a long drink from her beer before asking as casually as she could, "What about Jack? Is he seeing someone?"

Bobby looked at her sharply. "Nah. He's pretty busy."

Grace raised an eyebrow at the absence of a homosexual joke but didn't dig any deeper. "And you, Bobby? How's your love life?"

"I'm always getting into trouble when women are involved," he muttered. "So I'm laying off for awhile." Bobby stirred the sauce then gave her a long and steady look. "Your turn."

"For what?"

"Supplying some information."

"There's not much to tell. I moved in with my aunt for awhile then went to college while working for a veterinarian who specialized in abused animals. Since I graduated, I've been doing some freelance writing and working on a novel. I've been with a dozen men in the last six years, and none of them have meant anything to me."

"That's because your man is here Grace."

Grace sighed and fiddled with the label on the beer. "He's not mine."

"Yes, he is. I don't know why you try to deny it."

"I've treated him horribly," she answered with a deep breath. "I was in love with him and I had sex with his brother which _he saw."_

"You were badly in need of attention at that moment Gracie, and he wasn't around. I was there, and it's as simple as that. I should have had the fucking guts to stop you. _I_ was the adult and_ I_ was the one responsible for what happened." Bobby was stirring the sauce so violently that it began slopping over the sides of the pot and sizzling on the stove.

"You're not to blame Bobby. This is why you always get in trouble with women. It was not your fault. I knew what I was doing, but that's not why I'm not meant to be with him. It's because, were I able go back and erase that moment in time, I wouldn't. I wouldn't take my virginity back from you for anything in the world. That's the fucked up part."

Bobby stared at her for a moment as if he weren't sure what to say. Finally, he spoke, "Are you in love with Jack?"

Grace looked down at the table as tears pooled in her eyes. "Yes," she answered miserably as she looked at him.

"Good, then you'll be very interested in what I have to say." Bobby opened the fridge and pulled out two more beers.

"I doubt it," Grace murmured then downed the rest of her beer.

"You're going to need this," he advised, tossing her one of the cans.

She caught it easily and glanced at it before looking up at him with trepidation. "What's happened?"

"That movie you saw. The one you saw that made you come here."

"Yeah."

"Like I said, it was just a movie and it wasn't entirely accurate."

"Jesus, Bobby, just spill it," Grace urged anxiously.

"The guy who shot Jack isn't dead," Bobby announced. "He disappeared for awhile, but I got a lead on him the other day."

Grace stared at him in shock even as the front door opened and deep male laughter filled the house. "You fuckers," she heard Angel say.

"Don't cry Angel. It'll only be about 18 years till you have her all to yourself again," came Jerry's reply.

"I'm too young for this shit," Angel protested.

"What do you mean? You're like 30," Jack said then laughed even louder. There was a loud thump which Grace could only guess was Angel knocking his brother to the floor, but Jack's laughter did not subside. Damn, she loved him.

"So, were gonna fuck him up right?" Grace asked Bobby quietly.

"It's the Mercer way," he answered with an angry gleam in his eye. In unison, they threw back their heads and chugged their beers.


	5. Reunion

Chapter 5 – Reunion

Bobby got an idea and slammed his beer down on the counter. Moving quickly towards the table, he asked, "You're sure you don't want to be with Jack right now?"

"Positive," Grace answered, lowering her beer slowly and looking at him with curiosity.

"Then come here," he said as he sat in the chair across from her. "C'mon Grace," he urged when she didn't move.

Having absolutely no idea what he was up to, Grace stood and came to his side. He pulled her onto his lap, and his lips slid over hers. Grace's eyes widened in surprise. "Bobby what the hell?" she murmured against him.

"Just go with it," he answered. Before she could reply, Grace heard Jack's laughter getting louder, and she closed her eyes.

"Ho-ly fuck," came Angel's voice as he stopped dead in the doorway of the kitchen with Jack in a headlock.

"Wha-?" Jack began to ask but cut himself short.

"Angel, how you gonna talk like that in ma's house?" Jerry asked before noticing the woman in the kitchen. "Holy shit! Gracie!"

Angel tugged Grace off Bobby's lap and whirled her around the room. "You're alive. And damn, you turned into a hot piece of ass."

"Angel, I know you aren't talking like that to a lady." Jerry gave Angel a scalding look as he took Grace into his own arms for a bear hug.

"I'm no lady, Jeremiah," Grace assured him with a laugh.

"C'mon Bobby, back me up," Jerry said.

Bobby sat at the table grinning, Grace's beer in his hand. "She ain't no lady, but she sure is a fine piece of ass."

Jerry sighed and let her go. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly as Bobby and Angel laughed.

"I'm happy to be home," Grace answered with a strained smile. She was doing her best to avoid looking at Jack, but Jerry backed away and there he was.

Jack looked like an elf. His hair was wild and his green cat-like eyes held a slight slant to them. His impish lips were curved into the slightest of smiles on his clean-shaven face. Grace marveled at how tall he was. She had seen him only a year ago, but he'd been crumpled in the snow then and she hadn't realized how much he'd grown.

"You're alive," Grace managed to say without bursting into tears.

"So are you. Welcome home Gracie. We missed you," he murmured as he crushed her against his chest.

He even smelled good, Grace realized as she breathed in his masculine scent. Jack bent his head down to her ear and whispered only for her to hear, "I love you." Jack released her immediately and went to the fridge for a beer. Grace wasn't sure if she'd imagined his words or not, but she gave herself a little shake and sat back down in Bobby's vacated seat. She looked up and met Bobby's eyes as he once again went about stirring the sauce. His expression was that of someone who was thoroughly amused.

Grace turned away as Jerry asked her a question. She focused all of her attention on him, oblivious to the green eyed stare that never left her face.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Mercer boys would not let her help clean up after dinner, so she took yet another beer into the family room with her. She'd lost count as to how many she'd had but at the point it really didn't matter. She could still see and walk straight and she didn't have to drive anywhere.

Grace went to the fireplace and began to study the photos on the mantel. There was a picture of Bobby by himself at about 10 years of age. He was standing against a tree with his arms crossed, his facial expression that of a complete and utter badass. Grace knew the picture was from when he'd first arrived at Evelyn's house 20 years ago. The next picture was of Bobby and Jerry. They were sitting on the floor in the bedroom they used to share playing with little green army men. The room became Angel's after the two older brothers moved out and it was now once again Bobby's room.

The next picture showed an addition of a grinning Angel-boy. The three boys were playing in the snow behind the house. The fourth picture had four boys in it. One of which, had wild hair and slanted green eyes. They stood in a row, dressed in Church clothes. Jack was looking up at Bobby who stood behind him with his hands on Jack's shoulders, his collar popped up. Jerry and Angel stood on either side of Bobby, grinning at each other like they had some pulled a prank. Bobby was the only one looking at the camera, but it was still a really good picture. It captured the boys' essences extremely well. The last picture must have been taken just before Bobby went to prison, Angel joined the army, and Jack became a rock star.

In the picture Evelyn sat in the middle of the couch with Bobby on one side and Jerry on the other. Angel and Jack sat beside each other on the floor. It was probably the last picture ever taken of the five of them, and that thought brought tears to Grace's eyes. She stared at Evelyn's face. She looked so happy surrounded by her boys with no thought of the danger in store for all of them.

Grace sniffled softly and felt a presence in the room. She turned to see Bobby carrying in an armful of logs. "She's beautiful isn't she?" he asked as he bent to place the logs in the basket.

"The most beautiful person I've ever met," Grace answered without hesitation. Bobby brushed his hands on his pants and stood to embrace her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and they looked at the picture together.

"Mmmm-hmmm," he murmured, kissing her neck.

"Bobby, what are we doing?" Grace hissed even as she tilted her head to give him fuller access to her skin.

As his lips trailed up to her ear, he answered, "I haven't told my brothers about Jack's killer. You and I are going to be spending a lot of time together, and this is just a way to keep them from getting suspicious. Plus, it may be the last chance I get to make out with you. I figure one day you'll come to your senses about Jack."

"Ahem," Angel said loudly from across the room, startling them both. "Sorry for interrupting, but I believe it's time for the creature feature of the evening."

Bobby groaned and released Grace, but not before Jack witnessed the intimacy between them. Oddly enough, it didn't seem to faze Jack at all when he saw Bobby and Grace together. Jack just grimaced at the mention of 'creature feature'. He wasn't much into movies that consisted mostly of people being murdered left and right.

Bobby tended to the fire as Angel and Jack sat at opposite ends of the couch. "Well, kids. It's been fun, but I gotta jet," Jerry said.

"You're not gonna stay for the movie?" Bobby asked. "It's Friday night."

"I gotta take the girls to ballet at 7 am. They're having a rehearsal for the big show on Wednesday. You all better be there," Jerry explained.

"I wouldn't miss it, Jer," Grace promised, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"I'm glad you're home Gracie," Jerry told her. I'll see you tomorrow. 'Night all."

"'Night" Angel, Jack and Bobby said in unison.

"Gracie will you hit the lights?" Angel requested. Grace turned off the lights, then sat between Jack and Angel on the couch.

"What is this, Angel?" Jack asked as the movie began.

"Something I never heard of," Angel answered. Bobby finished fiddling with the fire and sat in the armchair.

On the screen, a woman was wandering down a dark street with a broken high heel and torn dress. She was sobbing as she looked from right to left and could see only trees. There was a vicious roar and a hairy beast jumped out of the woods. The woman screamed and tripped. The beast knocked her to the ground and started laughing.

"What?" the woman began. "Tommy?" She then smacked the monster (which was actually her boyfriend in a costume). "What is wrong with you?"

The movie continued on in a boring drone. Grace yawned, and Angel pulled her so she could lean against his chest. Grace let her eyes slide shut as Angel's fingers combed through her hair, and Jack pulled her feet up into his lap. Grace couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so content, and she let herself drift off to sleep.

Grace woke to a gunshot on the tv screen, followed by Jack jerking in his seat as he squeezed his eyes shut. Grace sat up and took Jack's hand in hers and tugged it up underneath her sweatshirt like she used to do when they were younger. Jack had been quite traumatized in many ways as a child. Watching his father torture his mother by whipping, cutting, and burning her before finally killing her was not even the worst thing he had gone through as a kid, but it was definitely something that plagued him.

Grace glanced around. Angel was sleeping soundly beside her and Bobby had disappeared. Grace tugged the remote from Angel's limp hand and stopped the movie. She turned the tv channels until she found a much more satisfying late night movie, _The Goonies_ then snuggled up closer to Jack.

"Thanks Grace," Jack murmured from beside her.

"Don't mention it," she answered as she began to drift back off to sleep.

A short time later, Angel woke and said, "Dude what the hell? What happened to the movie?"

"It sucked. It was almost over anyway," Jack replied.

"Shit, I gotta go. Where's Bobby?"

"Upstairs working on something for the 'Escape'."

"Aiight. Well, I'll catch ya'll tomorrow. I gotta get outta here. You want me to carry Gracie upstairs?"

"Nah, I'll get her," Jack replied.

"Later then."

"Later."

Once Angel was gone, Jack turned the tv volume down and watched Grace sleep. He stroked her cheek and whispered, "You're so beautiful." Finally, he forced himself to rise and gently pick her up. She stirred and said something he couldn't understand.

"Hmmm?" he asked.

"Take me to bed, Jack," she murmured, without opening her eyes.

Jack's heart swelled at her words, but he knew she hadn't meant them in the manner he wished. With all the willpower he could muster, Jack carried Grace to Bobby's room and placed her gently on the bed.

"Sorry Jack. I didn't realize the time," Bobby said from the computer desk next to the bed as he stretched and yawned. "I've been tweaking some of the room designs. You working tomorrow?"

"I got lessons at the rec center at 9, but I'll try and stop by the Escape after work, probably around 2 or 3," Jack answered accompanied by his own yawn.

"Go to bed, fairy boy."

"I'm just gonna tuck Gracie in, then I'll be on my way."

Bobby watched his brother in is peripheral vision. Jack was amazingly tender with Grace as he gently pulled the sheets out from under her then carefully laid them on top of her. Once she was settled, Jack leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead.

"You really love her." Bobby stated.

"We all love her Bobby. 'Night." He rose and left the room.

Bobby shook his head in wonder. Jack was so quiet about everything. He always kept his feelings bottled up, and only the people closest to him ever knew what was going on. It was a habit that Bobby had been trying to help him break for 15 years, without success. Bobby worried about Jack, and he would do what he had to do to keep his youngest brother safe from harm. Whatever he had to do.


End file.
